Stage48 Countdown: Episode 237 (Members who are too pure for this world)

1.Heavy Rotation (AKB48)
2.UZA (AKB48)
3.Sakura no ki ni narou (AKB48)
4.Utsukushii Inazuma (SKE48)
5.Kaze wa Fuiteiru (AKB48)
6.Kimi no uso wo shitteita (AKB48 beauty giraffes)
7.Sayonara Crawl (AKB48)
8.Kitagawa Kenji (NMB48)
9.Team B oshi (Team B)
10.Kodoku na hoshizora (Team A)

 

1. AKB48 - Majijo Teppen Blues

2. Dasu Suma Nita - Koi Yori mo dream

3. Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 - Hetappi Wink

4. AKB48 - Everyday Kachusha

5. AKB48 - Manatsu no Sounds Good

6. NMB48 - Kitagawa Kenji

7. AKB48 - New Ship

8. Watanabe Mayu - Otona Jellybeans

9. AKB48 - Eien Pressure

10. Watanabe Mayu - Hikaru Montachi

 

^ Voting for the Topics is over btw lol.

Just voting for one thing again.

 

This was a lot harder to narrow down than I thought it was going to be. So many good videos.

1.) Girls' Rule - Nogizaka46
2.) Ikiru Koto - AKB48 (Team A)
3.) Alive - AKB48 (Team K)
4.) Kurumi to Dialogue - AKB48 (Team A)
5.) Beginner - AKB48
6.) Everyday, Katyusha - AKB48
7.) UZA - AKB48
8.) Sonna Baka na... - Nogizaka46
9.) Majijo Teppen Blues - AKB48
10.) Korogatta Kane wo Narase! - Nogizaka46

 

Waaay too many to think about...

1) Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou (AKB48)
2) Dareka no Sei ni wa Shinai (SKE48)
3) Ue Kara Mariko (AKB48)
4) Boku Dake no value (AKB48)
5) Tsugi no Season (AKB48)
6) Shakiiism (Nogizaka46)
7) Dakishimechaikenai (AKB48)
8) Yubi Bouenkyou (Nogizaka46)
9) Korogatta Kane wo Narase! (Nogizaka46)
10) Sansei Kawaii! (SKE48)

Honorable mentions:
AKB48 - Everyday, Katyusha (Since it's a recreating of other PVs I decided not to include this. But it's really a good idea, they should do this kind of thing more often), Aitakatta, Skirt Hirari, Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru and Iiwake Maybe (Classics), Beginner (The only AKB PV to be censored), ALIVE, Show Fight!, Ikiru Koto, KONJO, Kinou Yori Motto Suki, NEW SHIP...
SKE48 - Banzai Venus (Awesome PV but the song annoys me a lot haha), Kataomoi Finally, Banana Kakumei, Canaria Syndrome, Taiikukan de Choushoku wo, Zakuro no Jitsuwa Yuutsu ga Nantsubu Tsumatte Iru?...
NMB48 - Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo, Junjou U-19, Kitagawa Kenji, Boku ga Maketa Natsu, Hoshizora no Caravan, Prom no Koibito (Everyone dies. Not really a regular PV for idols ), Renai Higaitodoke, Sonzai Shitenai Mono...
HKT48 (And sub-units and solos) don't really have too much to talk about. And Nogizaka46 has a bunch of awesome PVs Oide Shampoo, Barrette, Kidzuitara Kataomoi, Girl's Rule, Hoka no Hoshi kara, Tsuki no Okisa...
Honorable mention for the SDN48 PVs too.
( + Favorite scene: The ending of Ue Kara Mariko )
( + Dishonorable mention for that giant monster of Kaze wa Fuiteiru )

Nobody remembered Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou yet...

 

1. Gingham Check - AKB48
2. Hitsujikai no Tabi - AKB48
3. Barrette - Nogizaka46
4. Shakiism - Nogizaka46
5. Mae Shika Mukanee (drama version) - AKB48
6. Mousou Girlfriend - NMB48
7. Beginner - AKB48
8. Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru - AKB48
9. Beginner - AKB48
10. Ponytail to Shushu - AKB48

 

I gave this one a lot of thought, because I think people have really been missing out on some of the best PVs. A few of them are pretty obscure (but only a couple made it to this list lol). There are so many good PVs.

Best 48 Group Music Videos

1. AKB48 - GIVE ME FIVE! (Drama ver.)
Bunch of troubled kids make a band at the behest of their put-upon teacher. This has been done before (School of Rock, anyone?) but AKB's take on it was so touching. Narrated from Acchan's point of view as she meets her classmates at night school and learns about their situations, the song "Give Me Five" ends up being the song the class band writes as their graduation song. They move on but they'll never forget that time they spent growing in each other's presence. The teacher's part is very touching as well. This is one of the only AKB PVs that's ever had me in tears.

2. Nogizaka46 - Barette
The video starts almost like a horror movie, with a very creepy "Maestro" about to turn a girl into a statue forever. That's his calling - turn girls into "art" and auction them off to the highest bidder. The Ngzk team gets to go commando to rescue one of their friends from this creep, but she turns out to be...?! Lots of gunslinging (and sword-slicey) action, but the song itself fits in with a beautiful butterfly-esque dance that complements the action scenes perfectly. The tone and choreography are just so good. There is so much beauty worked into what could have easily been a really cheesy vengeance story.

3. AKB48 - Namida no See-Saw Game
Three ticks in the checkboxes of glory for this one: the 60s style of music was reflected by the girls' dress, the setting of an African-American 60s music club was faithfully recreated, and the choice to go black & white for the first couple minutes really made this video seem like something that could have actually been pulled off a television program from decades ago. Everything down to the band on the stage screams authenticity. It seems like so much care was put into the creation of this video, and it's just so much fun to watch.

4. Watanabe Mayu - Hikaru Monotachi
Like See-Saw Game, a lot of care was obviously put into the ideas for and the creation of this video. Mayu as an emulation of a virtual Vocaloid character has to grapple with technical difficulties and being outed as a "fake girl" to her cheering audience, who start voting down her videos on Niconico. Gradually her image is erased and replaced, but manga artists bring her back favorably to the public consciousness. The power of trends and technology are really propped up as something to look at here, but just as fascinating is the actual technical detail behind the MV. I saw a "making of" for this video somewhere and it was really quite interesting how intricate her costume was and how difficult it was to shoot the "frozen Mayu" scenes where her technology breaks down.

5. AKB48 - Koi suru Fortune Cookie (STAFF ver.)
This might be a strange choice, because the girls aren't even in it. However, the fact that this video was created and was met with such applause by the fandom really shows how much people like to see the staff appreciated (and making us giggle) once in a while. This video also helped to kick off the first-of-its-kind for AKB VIRAL phenomenon of Koi Suru Fortune Cookie dance videos, something that touched both fans and non-fans in many parts of the world. When this craze was in full swing, I felt like every organization in existence had a KFC video up on Youtube, and you couldn't go five minutes without hearing about another one making the rounds. So the Staff version of KFC is amazing because it shows the lighter side of AKB management, and how something amusing can be so contagious.

6. AKB48 - Ikiru koto (Team A)
Team videos don't usually have the big production values A-sides do on 48g singles. Nonetheless, Ikiru koto ("Living") manages to be shot beautifully and packed full of "energy of life". It shows the mundane, the weird, the classy and the cheap and sleazy, all mingling together in a mushpot of humanity. Whores and escorts and lonely teenagers making their way through life any way they can, in a stop-stop-GO sequence of events. (Also a strange mosquito dancer thingy, I think it's supposed to represent the ephemeral nature of life). Sometimes you find yourself in a bad place in life, and sometimes you find yourself at the top with nowhere left to go. This MV captures the essence of the lyrics with its imagery for an all-around meaningful trip through what it means to be human.

7. AKB48 - Beginner (Original ver.)
The MV that had "limited play for being too violent" - perhaps blood, screaming, CGI decapitation and dismemberment don't float everyone's boat. This MV sports a couple different versions, including dance shots with different centers and a "nicer" one made of backstage footage, but the only one worth talking about here is the original. Set up as a game where the weapons are all labeled with members' names, the girls "play" to win but ultimately end up losing. VR crosses over to the real world, and Acchan bleeds for real. Behind all the dramatic screaming, the message is good: the things we do in cyberspace and virtual worlds can and do have an impact on the real world. We need to wake up and look around at what's really there, and make our own decisions about our fates. No matrix hookups here.

8. SKE48 - Utsukushii Inazuma
Sometimes things don't have to be deep and meaningful. Sometimes all they need to be is beautiful. In this MV, everyone looks amazing and fantastic. The lighting, the costumes, the ocean and the beach, every detail has been set up to look like an exquisite fantasy world full of capering nymphs. The firedancers add a really nice touch, spicing up the choreo and offsetting all the water imagery. Each second of video centered on the girls would look right at home in a magazine as a photoshoot. It's utsukushii, guys.

9. AKB48 - UZA
Fan favorite, everyone knows why. Director of many smash hit American videos goes on to recreate the Backstreet Boys' "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" video with lolis in the form of a Japanese dance song. I kid, but it's pretty similar and it's no coincidence. This is the kind of stuff that's popular with youth, all dark and gothic and edgy with hints of steampunk worked in. And it definitely works. The costumes alone are worth the price of admission, never mind the creep factor of the toys in Grandma's attic coming to life. This video also shows off some of the most intense choreography AKB senbatsu has ever done, which gives it further marks. I don't think I need to explain anything about it. It's not the best video to come out of the AKB repertoire (see above) but it definitely deserves a place in the top 10.

10. AKB48 - Saigo no Door
There were a lot of contenders for this spot that deserve it as much or more (such as Mirai to wa, Koko de ippatsu, Aitakatta kamo shirenai), but I put personal preference into it a bit here. Since I saw Saigo no Door, I have always found this MV to be very beautiful. A perfect symbol of Tomochin's time in AKB. She always had a "rebel" character, but the strict rules of being an idol meant she could only be a rebel in name. In reality, she sat quietly with folded hands like a nun with all the other girls until her time was up and she could finally cross through the door into her own world. What really struck me as particularly wonderful about this video is the cinematography during the Escher-like stair sequences, the shadowy hand reaching down, and Tomochin's friends all trying to stop her before the door and finding she's already mostly departed from their world. It's lovely and understated, and a really good sendoff.

 

1. NMB48 - HA!
2. Takahashi Minami - yabureta hane
3. AKB48 (team A) - juujun na slave
4. AKB48 - sakura no ki ni narou
5. AKB48 - seifuku ga jama wo suru
6. AKB48 (team A) - ikiru koto
7. nogizaka46 - barette
8. AKB48 - kondo koso ecstasy
9. AKB48 - give me five
10. tentoumu chu - kimi dake ni chu chu chu!

 

basically, i always love how they concept a music video, and the way they delivered it to watchers. i must admit, i had a hard time deciding which one is the best because i love the gap between the lyrics and the video. well, here it is my best music video list.

Best Music Videos :
1. Manatsu No Sounds Good
this song is another level for me. the plot, the bikini, acchan, and everyday kachuusa -rip out version- outfit. the completed each other.
2. Sakura No Shiori
i love the effort they put in this music video. kimono is always
3. Ibiza Girl
this may sounds random, but ibiza girl has best solo shoots among all PV i ever watched. The run-from-the-bride part was a plus since we got to see the girl dressed so elegantly like that.
4. RIVER
the song was already so deep, the music video completed the perfection of the song.
5. Kibouteki Refrain
despite my dislike toward the centers, i find the plot really interesting. also so deep, for akb and fans. the running part at the last scene was also so meaningful for me.
6. Saigo No Door
besides of the fact that this is my oshimen graduation song, i always find the plot and the nun costume really beautiful.
7. Kizuitara Kataomoi
maiyan and nanami acting makes me this PV my #1 of nogizaka46 pvs.
8. Kimi Wa Kimagure
the concept is really unique and it's a funny cute PV. the girls look really beautiful
9. Sayonara Crawl
i thought they overused the colorful theme at first. but i cant help thinking that the colorful theme is pretty
10. Ima, Happy
i love the childishness contained in the song. the slow motion part made me lol everytime xD

 

1. Utsukushii Inazuma (SKE48)
2. Gingham Check (AKB48)
3. Masaka (Kasai Tomomi)
4. Ai Chuseyo (SDN48)
5. Kataomoi Finally (SKE48)
6. Tsugi no Season (AKB48)
7. Darkness (SKE48)
8. Kimi wa Boku da (Maeda Atsuko)
9. Kietaikurai (Kasai Tomomi)
10. Haste to Waste (AKB48)

 

1. Beginner (original mv)
2. Shakiism - Nogizaka46
3. Heavy Rotation
4. Tsugi no season (the song is kinda bland tho huh huh)
5. Sakura no shiori
7. Kodoku na hoshizora
8. Ponytail to shushu
9. First Rabbit
10. Kataomoi Finally

 

1. Ikiru koto
2. UZA
3.ALIVE
4. Beginner
5. Kurumi to dialogue
6. kodoku na hoshizora
7. utsukushii inazuma
8. manatsu no sounds good
9. yume no kawa
10. loneliness club

 

This is so hard to choose T.T
Most of the MVs I picked are memorable and leave me great impression.

1. Heavy Rotation (AKB48)
such a legendary mv with the awesome mika ninagawa.
2. Oshiete Mommy (Otona AKB)
this mv is such an eyecandy for me, all the things are so cute & wonderful.
3. UZA (AKB48)
gotta admit this is so well done and everything's really cool.
4. Kataomoi no Karaage (HKT48)
I really love this kind of mv with pretty flowers and vintage touch. and the idea of spoon!
5. Sayonara Crawl (AKB48)
colorful mv and perfect for summer, and again I love mika ninagawa's works.
6. Manatsu no Sounds Good (AKB48)
7. Utsukushii Inazuma (SKE48)
8. Kitagawa Kenji (NMB48)
9. Mosh and Dive (AKB48)
for me is because the solo shots are amazing + everyone's gorgeous.
10. Sakura no Shiori (AKB48)

 

1. Hikaeme I Love you - my heart went dokyuun~
2. Kodoku na hoshizora - sooooo pretty *w*
3. Sayonara Crawl - a 3X-nin senbatsu PV done right.
4. Kimi wa boku da - this PV makes me wish there was a drama to this
5. Gingham Check - blew my mind when I first saw it
6. Kimi wa Kimagure - amazing concept
7. Wink wa 3kai - good story PV
8. Loneliness Club - a PV that fits the title and song type
9. Hikaru monotachi - again, I really liked the concept
10. Kibou ni tsuite -

 

1. Beginner -
2. Futari Dake no Parade (SKE KII) -The randomness of it made me like it a lot xD
3. Mosh and Dive - My nose bled a lot from this one MV
4. UZA - Though I couldn't tell Milky & Kojiharu out from each other @ first, everything else was fine~
5. Utaitai (Katareagumi)- MV was awesome, song was good~
6. Yobisute Fantasy - Same as Futari, random and cute
7. Hikaru Monotatchi - Mayuyu Shows her love for anime~
8. Ibiza Girl - Close ups
9. 12 Gatsu no Kangaroo - Liked the snowglobe concept tbh~
10. Kibouteki Refrain - Just liked the plot~

 

1. AKB48 - Give Me Five! (Drama Version)
2. SKE48 - Sore Wo Seishun To Yobu Hi
3. AKB48 - Namida No Sei Janai
   
4. AKB48 - Yume No Kawa
5. Nogizaka46 - Nandome No Aozora Ka?
6. AKB48 - Kibouteki Refrain
7. NMB48 - 12/31
8. AKB48 - Kyou Made No Melody
9. AKB48 - Saigo No Door
10. AKB48 - Sakura No Hanabiratachi 2008

 

My top 10:

1. Yuuhi wo miteiruka? -JKT48
2. Nandome no Aozora ka? -Nogizaka46
3. Hanikami Lollipop -JKT48
4. Suitei Marmalade -AKB48
5. Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara -AKB48
6. Seifuku no Hane -AKB48
7. Kesshou -NMB48
8. Kokoro no Placard -AKB48
9. Kidzuitara Kataomoi -Nogizaka46
10. Koi Yori mo Dream -SKE48

 

1. AKB48 - Sakura no Ki ni Narou
2. AKB48 - Iiwake Maybe
3. SKE48 - Utsukushii Inazuma
4. AKB48 - UZA
5. Nogizaka46 - Barette
6. AKB48 - Ikiru Koto
7. Nogizaka46 - Nandome no Aozora ka?
8. AKB48 - Gingham Check
9. AKB48 - Ue Kara Mariko
10. SKE48 - 12-gatsu no Kangaroo

 

10. Tobenai agehachou -AKB48
9. Koi no onawa -AKB48 Team Z
8. Koko de ippatsu -SKE48
7. Ashita wa ashita no kimi ga umareru -Chocolove from AKB48
6. Escape -SKE48
5. Sakura no ki ni narou -AKB48
4. Nante ginga wa akarui no darou -SKE48
3. Banzai Venus -SKE48
2. Darkness -SKE48
1. UZA - AKB48

(Our most hated PVs would be a fun topic. Two Roses, anyone?)